The Unseelie Princess
by DecoyDream
Summary: The short lived romance between Robin Goodfellow and the Unseelie Princess. A Puck/OC story.
1. Prologue

**_The Unseelie Princess_**

**_A Puck and Original Character Story_**

**Authors note**: I wrote this after reading the first book "The Iron King", not knowing what was to happen in the future books so it's a little odd but I decided to publish it anyway! Eira is an invented character as I'm positive Mab doesn't have a daughter but I thought it might be fun to add one in The Iron Fey series belongs to the lovely Julie Kagawa (She also owns Puck too which is a bit of a shame for us fangirls :P). Thank you so much for reading! Please review!

Meaghan entered the Unseelie court, shivering in her coat as she stood a short distance behind Ash who had not spoken a word to her since arriving. The frosted branches of the densely packed trees parted silently for the Prince, leaving a large archway where they both crossed into the main court.

Mab was upon a throne not unlike the one she had seen Oberon and Titania on, except instead of the lively vibrant colours and green vines, everything was dead and cold. Beside her stood Ash's brothers, solemn and stoic as they silently regarded her and Ash approaching. On the other side of Mab was a beautiful girl whom Meaghan didn't remember seeing at Elsyium. She stood tall and regal; her thick midnight hair falling midway down her back while the front section was pulled back into various braids that resembled a sort of crown. Her silver dress fell gracefully to the floor while the bejewelled pins in her hair resembled perfectly formed icicles. At that moment, her onyx eyes fixed themselves on Meaghan, leaving her slightly frightened at the frosty impassiveness in her face. Meaghan turned away quickly, deciding to pay attention to Ash who had begun to speak.

"My Queen, I have brought you Meaghan Chase as promised" he pronounced, bowing. Meaghan, still unsure of faery protocol, stood there awkwardly, ducking her head in respect.

Mab smiled tightly, though a gleam of something feral shone in her eyes "You have done well Ash, though what took so long?"

Ash looked uncomfortable "That is a tale for another time My Lady"

She regarded him coolly for a moment before turning her attention to Meaghan "Very well. You look dead on your feet. Perhaps we should commence our conversation when you are better rested"

Meaghan, unsure of what to make of Mab's kindness and hospitality merely nodded mutely. After her lectures from both Puck and Grim, she knew better than to thank her. Mab snapped her fingers, whispering something to a creature who looked much like Tansy before she bade Meaghan a quick goodbye. Taking her cue to leave, she followed the servant, noticing that Ash still made no attempt to talk to her. She was almost to the doorway when she heard the Queen's voice resonate.

"And you are welcome"

Frowning at her cryptic words, Meaghan continued on, shivering as they approached the gardens.

The servant girl opened up the door, leading Meaghan to a large bedchamber that was surprisingly warm. Meaghan resisted the urge to race to the fireplace to defrost her semi frozen body.

"If you need any assistance, you will find me across the gardens and towards the left of the fountain" she said in clipped tones.

Meaghan thanked her, though she was inwardly wondering whether anyone in the whole of Nevernever was actually friendly. Other than Puck of course. But she hadn't heard any news of his wellbeing since his injuries. She missed him so much it almost physically hurt. He was her only friend in this place and without him; everything seemed hundred times as foreign and lonesome.

"A penny for your thoughts princess?" came an amused voice from behind. Meaghan turned around, her neck cricking painfully at the sudden movement.

"Puck!" she shrieked, throwing her arms around the grinning boy with such force that he staggered. She squeezed him tightly, realising that he was indeed quite real. Tears of joy formed in her eyes as his arms wound around her and humiliatingly enough, she started bawling into his shirt.

"I'm alive, no need to cry" he said soothingly, patting her hair comfortingly.

Meaghan glanced up, "What happened?" she hiccupped, swiping away her tears with the back of her jacket.

His face turned serious "Mab saved me"

"Did she ask for anything in return?" asked Meaghan, finding the Unseelie Queen's goodwill hard to believe.

Puck continued to look troubled as he shook his head, his red hair as messy as ever "No"

"Perhaps she was being kind" suggested Meaghan lightly

Puck snorted at the idea "When you have lived as long as I have princess, you will know that the Unseelie Queen does not do anything out of the kindness of her heart"

Meaghan was just about to agree when a firm knock sounded at the door. Giving a wary glance at Puck, Meaghan strode over to the door and opened it, Puck right behind her. A gust of frigid wind met her and she craved the warmth of the fireplace more than ever.

When the swirl of snow cleared, she noticed a tall figure emerging, their black eyes familiar and foreign at the same time. Meaghan recognised her as the girl from court before but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what she was doing here. Judging by her silvery dress and impeccable appearance, it was clear she wasn't a serving maid. Her eyes flickered towards Puck at her side before focusing back on her.

"I was not aware you had company. Perhaps I shall return at another time" she said, her voice enchantingly melodic. Meaghan wanted to say something in return but she had already turned away, leaving a trail of icy air as the branches parted for her.

"Who is she?" asked Meaghan, more to herself than anyone.

Puck grimaced, closing the door behind them "That, is the Unseelie Princess "

Meaghan looked at Puck as though he had grown an extra head (a feat that he probably was in fact capable of) "Why was she never mentioned before?"

He shrugged "No reason. She is the only daughter of Queen Mab though"

It made sense. Her features and demeanour were much like Ash and Mab though she looked possibly more terrifying. Meaghan voiced her opinions, earning a chuckle from Puck.

"Oh, she's not that bad once you get to know her"

Meaghan quirked a brow "It sounds like you know her pretty well"

Puck looked immediately uncomfortable, squirming under the seemingly light hearted remark.

"Well I use to know her, before Ash and I became mortal enemies" he answered nonchalantly. He twisted a piece of his shirt, facing away from Meghan who now burned with curiosity. She had known him for as long as she could remember, and right now she could tell there was something he wasn't telling her.

"By know her, do you mean as friends?" she asked, knowing she had hit the target when his face paled.

"A little more than friends" he said finally, in a small voice that was so unlike him.

Meaghan couldn't help the impish grin that spread across her face as she delighted in Puck's evident discomfort "You dated her?" she said incredulously, trying to link the rather frightening girl with the easy going Puck "The Unseelie Princess?"

Puck grimaced, a faraway look in his eyes "It was a long time ago"


	2. Part I

**_AUTHORS NOTE: _**_Dedicated to LSPScooter, my one and only reviewer :P I'll finish this even if you're the only one reading! :D Hope you enjoy this chapter..._**_._  
**

**PART 1**

Puck grinned as he circled her, a sword dangling from his hand "Give it your best shot Princess" he goaded while his emerald green eyes sparkled with mirth.

The girl facing him let a flicker of annoyance cross her impassive expression as her pale hand gripped her own weapon tighter "You're just a glutton for punishment aren't you Goodfellow?" she drawled, her dark brows raised in defiance.

"It's never punishment when it's with you" he replied, his grin widening at her eye roll. He passed his sword to his other hand casually, his eyes never leaving hers.

"That was terrible Goodfellow. You'd think after a few hundred years of living you could actually come up with lines that don't make me want to drown myself"

Puck laughed "What? And get your hair wet just for me? That really is quite touching"

Eira tried to hide the spots of pink that stained her cheeks "Just shut up and let me stab you" she muttered, just loud enough for Puck to hear.

Puck chortled before giving a little bow "Your wish is my command"

Suddenly, he imploded into a flock of feathers, a sleek raven with green eyes emerging from the chaos. It squawked loudly and circled her before deftly landing on a branch. Eira swore she could see the bird actually laughing.

Growing increasingly annoyed, she felt for the glamour in the icy plains they were in, summoning her strength before unleashing it on the amused looking raven. Hundreds of shards of icicles shot out from her palms, the dagger like points rushing through the air as fast as lightning. But Puck was faster, taking off from the tree and landing on his feet back in his fey form.

"You're going to have to try harder than that" he goaded, prancing around the area like he owned the place. Taking the bait, Eira did try harder. They were soon engaged in a sword fight, their parries and blow echoing through the dead and deserted clearing. But it didn't look quite like a battle, more like a perfectly choreographed dance where neither of them seemed to have the upper hand on one another. They never seemed to tire, determination etched on both their faces as they both vied for their pride.

Puck frequently used his tricks to disorientate her, splitting into several versions of himself to fool her. On more than one occasion, she had violently stabbed him in victory before he exploded into a cloud of leaves. Growing frustrated, she exhausted the use of her glamour, sending barrages of ice to encase him as well as small snow storms to deflect his attention. With some satisfaction she saw that he was beginning to tire, his blows becoming a little less coordinated sloppier. Timing her actions perfectly, she was about to throw her hidden dagger at his unsuspecting back when a voice called out to her.

"Eira, you're not duelling Goodfellow again are you?" asked the voice with some level of amusement. Both Puck and Eira stopped their fight, hiding the weapons behind the backs trying to look as innocent as possible.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ash" she replied, her eyes wide as she struggled to catch her breath.

Puck nodded his agreement, slinging an arm around Eira's shoulder which she shook off immediately "She loves me too much to want to stab me don't you Eira?" asked Puck, ignoring the very dirty look she was giving him.

Ariella giggled, standing next to Ash whose arm was around her waist "Aren't you going to answer him Eira?" she said, her eyes sparkling with barely concealed humour.

The pink in her cheeks flamed as she retorted hotly "Aren't you meant to be on my side?"

Ariella laughed, unwounding herself from Ash's embrace before daintily prancing to Eira's side "I always will be, isn't that what best friends are for?"

Puck made a mock action of violent vomiting at her words, choking a little when Ash winded him with a not so soft nudge to the ribs.

"Shut it" Ash muttered, a small smile on his lips while Puck glared.

"I sure hope you're not king when Mab's gone. You're insufferable as it is already" sulked Puck, rubbing the sore spot on his chest. Eira snorted at that statement, a gleam in her eyes as she spoke.

"And what are you? A little ray of sunshine?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

Puck grinned mischievously "Only for you Princess"

**Authors Note:** Sorry about the short legnth of this part... i promise the next one will at least be slightly longer!

Much love,

DecoyDream x


	3. Part II

**PART 2**

"Robin Goodfellow, you come back here at once!" she yelled as she trekked through the lush green foliage. Puck's voice could be heard up ahead, the sound exceptionally loud in the forest.

"We're almost there!" he shouted back "I promise it'll be worth it!"

Sighing loudly, Eira picked up her pace and hitched up her now shredded skirts as she muttered "I've no idea why I agreed to this"

And it was true to a certain extent. Eira had no clear idea of why she had agreed to spend a whole day with Robin Goodfellow. In fact, she couldn't remember a time when they were alone together where she wouldn't try to rip his head off. It was just the way their relationship worked, if you could even call it a relationship. It was built off insults and threats, swords and battle tactics. Eira didn't know much of Goodfellow besides his infamous tales and constant up beat attitude. She had rarely ever caught him in a sour or angry mood, that grin of his permanently on his face. He was as unflappable as the raven he often liked to turn into, cool headed and nonchalant even in the most dire of circumstances.

Likewise, Eira was sure he knew nothing of her. She had been brought up in the Unseelie court, a place where smiles don't belong as well as anything that couldn't arouse the suspicion of weakness. Weakness was a very dangerous thing in the fey world, something that could cost your life. So Eira had learned to don her best mask of indifference throughout the years, her eyes and expression blank and cold just like she had learned from Mab. Only a very select few had seen the spark in her eyes and the warm but rare smile on her face. It was only the ones she trusted, her brothers Ash and Sage as well as her best friend Ariella. She never had developed enough affection for Rowan, whose sneering face and superior attitude irked her to no end. But he was blood, and so she surmised that while it was enough to trust him, she could count on him nonetheless.

And then there was Robin Goodfellow, not quite an enemy but not a friend either. He annoyed her very much but she would be lying if she didn't occasionally enjoy it, something that Ariella had picked up on very quickly. In fact, it was her idea for Eira to spend the day with him. When Eira asked why, she just smiled cryptically and told her to have some fun before running off to find Ash.

Having no excuse (other than once again bluntly telling him to leave her alone), she agreed to join him for the day, warning him that there better be no funny business going on. Goodfellow promised, the closest thing to an oath in the land of fey, which was good enough for Eira.

But now she wasn't so sure as she surveyed her surroundings in the Seelie court. The various shades of green, brown and burnt orange was beautiful and a stark contrast to Tir Na Nog but she felt uncomfortable being there. It was as if the earth knew she was an intruder, sending up ill placed roots to purposefully trip her over. The warmth on the back of her neck was also unsettling and she longed to feel the cold rush of wind again, the icy chills feeling like home to her.

It also didn't help that she couldn't access her glamour in this part of the Nevernever. Everything was just too full of life, bursting with colour and essence that burned her very being. Her powers thrived off the cold and dead, and there with little of that here. She only hoped that if they were attacked or ambushed, her trusty sword would be enough to save them. It wasn't like she could count on Puck to save them anyway – he would probably fly off as a raven and desert her and think it absolutely hilarious.

"We're here Princess!" shouted a gleeful voice from up ahead.

Eira wiped the sweat off her brow and approached the top of the mountain, stepping through the trees that Puck had parted for her. She was about to yell at him when her voice died in her throat, rendering her speechless.

The view in front of her was spectacular, more beautiful than anything she had ever seen in the Nevernever. It looked over a vast expanse of sparkling water, the surface glimmering like thousands of crystals. Hovering above the surface were groups of tiny birds, whose jewelled feathers reflected the expanse of purple and pink cast by the setting sun.

Puck grinned at her, scratching the back of his head before gesturing to the ground where a picnic rug and basket sat "I've also prepared a little food for us. It might not be as good as the stuff at your palace but…"

Eira had stopped listening as she knelt on the soft blanket and flicked open the latch for the wicker basket. Reaching in, she unloaded the goods, pleasantly surprised to see it was all her favourite mortal foods. There were pastas, popcorn, strawberries, fizzy drinks and sugar coated candies. She also noticed that there was a large bar of the human food called 'chocolate', something that she loved to eat but was never allowed by Mab who was generally disgusted by anything associated with humans. Much to her embarrassment, her eyes began to tear up involuntarily. While she didn't know how Puck knew her favourite foods (though she suspected he had some help from Ariadne), it was undeniably kind of him to bring it for her. Turning towards Puck, she noticed he was still talking, a nervous rambling spilling from his lips as his eyes were trained on a nondescript looking pebble by the ground.

"- and the chocolate might be a little melted because I ran into some trouble in one of the trods getting back here and for some reason this little goblin insisted that I stole from him once and tried to set me on fire! I didn't of course, not really. I mean, it wasn't even guarded you know? If he-"

Eira watched on bemusedly, fairly certain that she had never seen the infamous Robin Goodfellow so flustered before. If she was honest to herself, she had to admit he was quite good looking with his mussed fiery red hair and emerald eyes. Not that she would ever say those words out loud of course – he really didn't need his ego inflated any further.

"- and then he got his goblin friends to come after me! But I'm no idiot so-"

"Puck" she interrupted loudly "You are an idiot"

Puck froze for a second, a retort forming on his lips. But Eira beat him to it, closing the distance between them.

"But thanks" she smiled, a wash of pink staining her usual colourless skin "For today"

Acting before she could lose her nerve, she kissed him lightly on the lips, her eyes closing for the briefest of moments before opening. Laughing at his shell shocked expression; she plopped down on the blanket and patted the space beside her.

"Pesto or Napolitana?" she asked, grabbing the two plastic tubs.

Puck cleared his throat casually, though his red ears and goofy smile gave him away "Napolitana please"

**AUTHORS NOTE:**

LSPScooter - Hey! Thanks for continuing to read my story! Just to clear your questions up, Ariadne (i really hope i didn't get her name wrong or else that would be serious egg on my face xD EDIT: 12/09/11 - egg on my face indeed! I can't believe i got it wrong... -.- *cue endless apologies here*) is Ash's beloved long before Meaghan came along. Also, the last part/chapter was kind of like a flashback type thing of them sparring. I should have made that a bit clearer - my apologies!

As for the other lovely people that bothered to review my story, thank you very much! :D Please continue to do so :) Till next time...

Much love,

DecoyDream x


	4. Part III

**AUTHORS NOTE: ***face plants on table top* i can't believe i got ARIELLA's name wrong! I'm not even sure where i got 'Ariadne' from! *sigh* Thanks for pointing it out to me though (and nicely too may i add :P) so i could fix it up! In retribution for my mistakes, i present to you the third and final part of my story (i'm fairly sure it's final, unless i randomly decide to put another segment in or you guys would really like it to be extended...) in a very quick update that's almost twice as long as my other chapters! Thank you all for reading! (and bearing with me and my excessively long author notes haha). Please review :)

**PART 3**

Ash and Puck bickered up ahead, their bows slung behind their backs as they walked up the steep terrain. Ariella and Eira brought up the rear, similarly garbed in their hunting clothes and weaponry that dangled from their sides.

It was a beautiful day to be hunting, the air crisp and cool yet without rain or fog to impair their vision during the expedition. They had never been to this area of the Nevernever before to hunt but Puck suggested it, claiming that there were more interesting creatures here than the usual places they went to. Ash hesitantly agreed, seemingly relaxed on the outside while his slate coloured eyes appeared worried. No one seemed to notice except Eira though who sidled up to him at one point in the trip when the others were preoccupied with gathering fruits to eat.

"Are you okay?" she asked, touching him lightly on the arm as she frowned.

A flicker of a smile crossed his face, dying down as fast as it had come up "Just nerves before the hunt you know"

Eira stared back at him unconvinced. The Ash she knew was never nervous before a hunt or any fight. He relished in it, the warrior inside of him so strong that he was almost detached from his surroundings. Eira remembered when she was younger and she had seen Ash's first battle – it was the first time she had ever been frightened of him. He was cold and calculating, his expression unflinching even when his enemies heads rolled towards him, oozing crimson. While over the years Eira had gotten use to bloodshed and the gore of war, she was never as good at hiding her emotions and fear as Ash. He wasn't afraid of anything, other than losing Ariella whom Eira suspected he loved much more than himself.

Knowing that there was little she could do to convince him to tell her what was really wrong, Eira left him to quietly wallow in his thoughts. Trekking towards the area where a small fire was built, Eira idly organised the small twigs to make the fire burn more evenly and brightly. But there was something niggling at her, the feeling uncomfortable as it squirmed around her insides. She wasn't sure what it was though – everything, save for Ash's unexplainable sudden moodiness, was perfect the way it was.

She was on a hunting trip with her favourite brother, best friend and Puck; whom Eira adamantly insisted on just calling a friend much to Ariella and Ash's annoyingly knowing looks and glances. Puck didn't seem to mind the title though, pressing his warm lips to her forehead and holding her closer as they leisurely travelled through the uninviting woods.

They had been more than acquaintances for a while now, perhaps decades in mortal years if either of them had bothered to count. She found that there was more to the cheeky Robin Goodfellow than upon first glance, and she was even more surprised that she liked what she found. She remembered how Ash was disapproving at first, assuming that he was most certainly up to no good. But Ariella, always the mediator and the sure fire way to Ash's heart, convinced him otherwise. Thankfully, only a select few of the Winter court knew of their taboo relationship, excluding Mab who would have surely inflicted some sort of horrific punishment upon them both. Eira wasn't naïve enough to believe that being of blood to the Queen would be enough to stop her from feeling the wrath of the law in Nevernever. Though Puck was annoyed, he agreed to her conditions, deciding that perhaps spending the rest of his life as a popsicle was not the greatest choice.

Eira smiled to herself lightly as she traced a large circle in the dirt with a long twig. She was about to draw a swirling design in the middle when she suddenly heard the clang of swords and voices in the distant. Shooting up from her perch on a deadened log, she drew her sword and rushed towards the forest, alarm coursing through her veins as she ran as fast as she could. She didn't know where she was going but her legs led her on, telling her that south was the direction to go.

She finally reached small clearing, mounds of snow melting all over the uneven dirt floor. Bushes sprung from random areas, black tar like flowers blooming from the leaves. Sky high trees formed a loose circle around the place, reminding her of a battle ring. And sure enough, the centre of it was a battle ground.

Ariella and Puck were putting up a fight valiantly, looks of pure concentration on their faces as they parried blows, dodged arrows and used their glamour upon their enemies. The bandits had their faces hidden, their skill in fighting combined with their numbers sending a jolt of fear into Eira's heart. Unthinkingly, she bounded into the fray, scooping up a fistful of snow and blowing it towards the unsuspecting attackers.

The white powder blew towards the bandits, instantaneously evolving into a vicious tongue of ice and frost that swirled and twisted like a violent hurricane. The howling winds enveloped a small group of them, swallow them whole while their screams died in their throats. Eira didn't bother to see the grotesque ice encased bandits, choosing instead to slash one of the men who had come dangerously close to slicing Ariella's arm as she skilfully twisted away from him.

"What happened?" yelled Eira, throwing herself against another bandit before unsheathing her dagger and planting it directly into his heart. The fey shrivelled, his body becoming little more than a few branches and decaying leaves.

Puck flew in, his fey form appearing once again in a burst of midnight feathers "It was a trap" he said heavily, for once his eyes unsmiling and grim "I should have known" he yelled over the clang of metal as he struck another attacker "those bushes over there were a giveaway!"

Eira quickly glanced over to where he was pointing, realising just what those black flowers were "Aesopius flowers" she murmured, suddenly understanding why she felt drawn here "They lure you in don't they?"

"No time for a herbology lesson Princess! Where the hell is Ash?"

Eira tried to dispel the lump in her throat as more bandits appeared from no where "He's back at camp! Do that trick of yours to distract them a bit – there's too many!"

Puck shook his head, brutally severing the head of another one "There's not enough energy for me to draw my glamour. I used it all before you came" he explained, his breathing heavy.

Pushing aside the sinking feeling within her, she scooped up another handful of snow and blew it, watching as they froze and shattered. While her glamour still worked, it was weakening as she tired. The clearing was neither a territory of Summer nor Winter, the place less than ideal for either parties to utilise their powers. The glamour pulsed weakly through her veins, struggling to surface the more often she used it.

Suddenly, a burst of arctic wind filtered through the clearing, icicles piercing through several more of their attackers. Ash stood by the side, wielding his sword tightly while his eyes assessed the situation with quick clarity. Wasting no time, he dove into the fight, brutally slaying many more of the bandits while the rest fought against the rest.

Eira was in complete concentration as the man before her circled her predatorily, a feral gleam in his ice blue eyes. Narrowing her gaze, she struck, her speed allowing her to nick him lightly on the neck. Seemingly angered by this, he threw himself into the fight, adamant on driving a blade through her heart as the moments passed by. He was oddly skilled for a bandit, his movements precise and sinuous. She couldn't remember who but he reminded him of that particular person and the style in which they fought in.

Diving out of the way as the gleaming sword became perilously close to her neck, Eira heard a sound that made her blood run cold. The noise also seemed to have distracted the bandit, and taking her chance, she swiftly thrust her sword right through him before scrambling to her feet.

Ash was crouched over something, his form shaking like a leaf while Puck stood by him, his sword dangling from his fingertips while he stood there frozen. Eira approached, trance like towards them, her heart pounding inside of her.

Puck swivelled around, his large green eyes glistening with moisture and laden with emotion as he saw her "Don't look" he pleaded "Don't"

He made a grab for her but she twisted out of his arms, her gaze landing on Ash's pale arms stained with blood before her eyes travelled to Ariella.

Ariella was barely breathing, her chest rising in short and laboured bursts. An iron dart protruded from her stomach, the copious amounts of blood from the wound seeping into her hunting clothes. Her white face was screwed into a painful grimace as she valiantly tried to hide how much pain she was in. But a cold hollow voice in her mind told Eira it was futile to hope, and it appeared Ash knew it too by the way he was silently sobbing and grasping her hand too tightly.

The iron was poisoning her from the inside.

Dropping to her knees, Eira clasped her friends other hand, ignoring just how cold it felt.

"Stay with us Ari, we're going to get you to a healer. You're going to be alright" she murmured, barely noticing the splash of her tears that fell as she spoke "Stay with us alright?"

Ariella offered a ghost of a smile, her lips turning blue "Take care of yourself Eira, and Ash too. Promise me" she breathed, her eyes closing for a moment as she heard Ash's desperately choked sobs "Please"

Eira shook her head violently, clutching her hand even tighter "No! You're going to be fine" she yelled, uncaring whether she sounded like a petulant child. Ariella was going to be fine, she told herself repeatedly. They had been best friends for as long as she could remember, she was meant to marry Ash. He was going to propose to her at the next Elysium in front of the whole Winter court.

Ariella shook her head ever so slightly, her lids growing heavy "So stubborn… Eira" she murmured "Take... good care" She winced before looking at Eira once again with her dark blue eyes "Don't blame… Puck… Wasn't his fault" She tilted her head towards Ash who was inconsolable "I love you Ash" she whispered, her life ebbing away at an alarming rate "Always will"

A breeze blew through the clearing just as Ariadne's eyes slid shut, the rustling of leaves growing stronger until Eira could no longer feel her friends hand in hers. Through wet eyes, she watched as her friends' life force and body faded completely, growing translucent before turning into a small pile of deadened leaves that the wind quickly picked up.

All was silent for a moment, save for Ash's anguished cries. They echoed throughout the entire clearing, scaring small critters out of their positions and back into their homes. Puck still hadn't moved, gazing unseeingly at the spot where she had been.

She had felt hollow before but as the truth settled in, all the feelings and fatigue came rushing back. She felt the weariness in her limbs from the fight, every nick and cut from sword and arrow. She felt her insides aching so sharply, it was suddenly hard to breathe. Gasping for breath, Eira picked herself up from the dirt, ignoring Puck's guilt ridden face as she rounded on him.

"You knew what those flowers do!" she yelled, her midnight eyes furious "You knew it was a trap!"

"It was too late-" he tried to explain but Eira cut him off, the fury and grief making her irrational.

"Did Oberon put you up to this?" she screamed, "Did he make you lead us out here for the slaughter? Or was this your brilliant idea?"

Puck grew angry, his face suddenly frightening "You think I would do this? She was my friend too-"

"I don't care!" she yelled, her voice reverberating throughout the forest before she lowered it, her voice as frigid as the heart of winter "I will never forgive you for this Robin Goodfellow. If you value your life, you will never step a foot into Tir Na Nog again"

And without looking back she ran as fast as she could out of the clearing, not hearing the shouting match behind her that erupted or the vows that the boys both made against one another. In a different time, a happier time, she might have cared enough to stop their ludicrous promises to kill one another. But Eira was too far gone. Ariella was always the one to bring out the good in her, teaching her that caring for others was a strength and not a weakness contrary to popular belief.

But Ariella was gone forever and she would never forgive him for taking them there to the hunting grounds, or being foolish enough to not recognize the plant that he had originally taught her of. Perhaps later she would realise how irrational her accusations were, or that perhaps it wasn't fair to blame him for an honest mistake. But for now, with the agony fresh in her heart she promised herself she would never forgive him for taking Ariella away from her or her brother.

Never ever.


	5. Part IV

_**Author's Note: **I know it's been a while since I wrote and I honestly was not going to continue. But this chapter is as a thank you to those who have read and reviewed – thank you._

_**PART 4**_

Years had passed, centuries even, but as Eira looked upon Robin Goodfellow standing there in the doorway, the pain in her heart was as fresh as if that fateful day were yesterday. Turning away as gracefully as she could, she rushed back to her chambers whilst steadfastly ignoring the curious faces that unabashedly looked at her.

But as she sat in her chambers, her back pressed up against her door, she realised that the pain wasn't just from the death of her best friend. She hadn't realised it till she had seen him again, but she had missed him. Against what she had said all those years ago, she missed him.

He looked much the same – fiery red hair, sparkling green eyes and a mouth that was almost permanently quirked up into a grin. But there was something different about him now, an aura about him that she tried to ignore. Even through the brief glimpse between the human girl and Puck, Eira could see that he was undeniably in love with her.

Robin Goodfellow was in love with Meghan Chase. And so was her brother.

The sudden bout of anger surprised Eira. She prided herself on being composed at all times but she couldn't help the jealous monster that reared its ugly head. What was so good about that insignificant human girl? What was so alluring about her that she could possibly ensnare the Winter Prince and the most mischievous Summer fey?

Forcefully shutting out these thoughts, Eira let those angry emotions drain away – it would do no good to dwell on them anyway. Meghan Chase was a guest in Winter Court, as were Puck, and soon enough they will both be gone and she would never have to see them again. Everything would go back to it was.

Somehow, that thought did little to comfort her.

She felt restless, unable to sleep the previous night and now feeling the results of it in her weary bones. It had been like this for the past few days, where she put up appearances during dinner and meetings but then spending the rest of her time avoiding Puck. It was slowly draining her, as though the effects of iron was slowly poisoning her from the inside out. She needed to get out of Tir Na Nog – she needed to get away from Puck.

Swinging her legs over her bed, she walked over to her closet, pulling out all the clothing and supplies she would need. She quickly dressed in her hunting outfit, strapping a dagger near her ankle and belting a sword at her hip. She fastened a heavy cloak around her shoulders, wearing it to feel a sense of normalcy though she never felt the cold. Lastly, she slung her bow across her shoulders before she left her bed chambers with a bag full of supplies she may need.

Eira walked leisurely through to the courtyard, the deadened branches of a shrub untwisting itself to allow her passage. The air outside was especially frigid and icy today, but she felt none of the arctic winds. She stepped into view of the frozen water fountain, idly trying to remember when was the last time she had seen the water run. Unsurprisingly, a few of the fey women were sitting by the stone edge, their hands clasped daintily over their mouth as they pointed and giggled at some unknown source.

Curious, Eira meandered closer, seeing a shivering blonde girl with large blue eyes. She looked distinctly uncomfortable, as though it were more than the biting cold that bothered her. Even without the slightly foreign scent that emanated from her, Crystal knew she must be the half breed that she had glimpsed in court and seen briefly at her lodgings. Eira cared very little about court matters and even less about the girl. Eira had made herself scarce as soon as rumours of Ash bringing her to Tir Na Nog started and even scarcer once she had appeared out of obligation in court when the half breed arrived. She preferred to hunt around this time of the year anyway, and Mab didn't protest against her decisions.

"Where do you think you're going half breed?" mocked a girl whom Eira recognised as Snowberry. The girl's infatuation with her brother Ash was comical at best and sickening in general. Her simpering and less than subtle touches made Eira want to freeze her like one of Mab's live statues.

The blonde half breed quivered with barely suppressed anger, her small frame shaking like a leaf. She was outnumbered one to four, and despite her non-existent care for the girl that bordered on dislike, it was entirely unfair of the fey to treat a guest like this. While Mab also would not have cared, she also would not have been pleased either.

Eira gracefully glided towards them, donning an expressionless mask. Snowberry and her lackeys saw her and quickly ducked their heads out of respect while the girl looked at her with some confusion in her face.

"Snowberry, I think that is quite enough" she spoke, her voice deceptively soft.

Snowberry looked up, her eyes narrowed at the girl "We were just teasing"

Her friends nodded eagerly, supporting Snowberry in her claims. Eira ignored their submissiveness and continued.

"You are officially dismissed" said Eira, slowly pacing around the girls. Snowberry began to protest, her eyes blazing with the indignity of being dismissed like a common servant.

"No" she replied stubbornly, her lip jutting out like a sulking child.

Eira raised her eyebrows, mentally giving her another few seconds to reconsider what she just said. Seeing that she didn't look like she was going to change her mind, she quickly scooped up a handful of snow from the ground. Snowberry and her friends looked on questioningly, their bright watchful eyes intent on her fistful of snow.

"Don't say I didn't warn you" said Eira softly, her dark pink lips curving up into an unsettling smile. With one fluid motion, she brought the handful of snow up to her lips, blowing it towards the direction of the fey.

With a startled shriek, they began to run but it was too late. A tongue of ice and frost spilled out in front of them, twisting violently like a small hurricane. It reached the screaming girls, encasing them with howling winds until it eventually died down. Eira walked up to them, running her pale hands along the solid ice that now encased their bodies. Snowberry's eyes moved frantically, her face frozen in a scream. Eira smiled slightly to herself – she had always wanted to do that. Turning away, she noticed that the girl was still standing there, her eyes wide like a child.

Eira walked towards the half human, her gait deliberately slow as to not to startle her "We meet again Meaghan Chase"

Meaghan stared at the Princess in front of her, unable to believe that she had just frozen Snowberry and her friends. From the story Puck had told her, she had begun to think that perhaps she really was soft and kind hearted. However, the sinister smile she had just witnessed seemed to disprove her recent theories. Once again, Meaghan couldn't quite form the idea of happy-go-lucky Puck and the intimidating girl in front of him ever getting along.

Nevertheless, the Princess in front of her had just saved her from a possibly humiliating situation with Snowberry and her friends. "Thank you" said Meaghan sincerely, finding it difficult to look into those stony eyes.

After a beat of silence where Meaghan was quite sure that Eira was not going to say anything, she remembered that the Princess had come to her room the other day.

"When you came to my room the other day, you wanted to tell me something" said Meaghan carefully, hoping that she wasn't being disrespectful or too blunt. She didn't really want to be turned into a popsicle just because she said the wrong thing.

Eira continued her assessment of the half breed girl, though she didn't look particularly angry. Meaghan wasn't quite sure that that was a good thing though – the lack of expression always scared her most.

Eira replied at last, her words precise but not unkind "A warning. A warning about Ash. You cannot stay with him Meaghan Chase though I know you love him. He cannot give up his life and duty for you, and you cannot give up your destiny for him no matter how much you want it. You are Summer and he is Winter. The two should never be together"

Meaghan was fairly sure Eira wasn't just talking about her and Ash anymore but she felt anger simmer within her as yet another fey told her that they could never be together. She was sick of them telling her what she could and couldn't do, and although Eira probably meant well in sparing her heartbreak, she rounded on her anyway.

"What happened between you and Puck will not happen to Ash and I" replied Meaghan coldly, noticing with a certain amount of satisfaction that Eira had paled considerably to a deathly white colour. For a moment, Meaghan felt confident for the first time in front of the Winter Princess because she had caught her out unawares. But all the smugness drained from her body once she realised that the previously stormy look in the Princess' eyes turned to one of hurt.

The guilt crashed through her like a snow storm and Meaghan rushed to apologise, wondering when she had gotten so cruel. It must be the place – Tir Na Nog was capable of souring anyone's mood.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that" said Meaghan, "I hope you can forgive me"

Eira looked over at the snow covered mountains to her left and sighed heavily, her shoulders drooping from the either the weight of her thoughts or fatigue. It was the most vulnerable that Meaghan had ever seen her, and just for a second, she could see the young woman who lost two friends in a day.

"There is nothing to forgive Miss Chase. Perhaps you are right, maybe you and Ash can make this work. But remember that I warned you – the consequences and sacrifices of your decision will be great"

Meaghan was about to reply when a familiar voice echoed through the courtyard.

"Princess! Oh Princess!"

Eira instinctively turned at the endearment he had given to her many years ago, freezing when she saw Meaghan also turn towards the source of the voice. Her thoughts were confirmed when Puck finally came into view, the red of his hair easily discernible amongst the ice around him.

"Meaghan, there you are! I've been looking for you every-"

He stopped in mid-sentence, finally realising Eira was standing there. He couldn't quite decipher the expression on her face though he was always good at reading her despite how hard she tried. Right now she tried to look casual and unaffected but a flurry of emotions flittered beneath the surface…. Hope? Or was that a look of hurt?

Eira refused to meet his eyes, instead brusquely shouldering her bag "Farewell Meaghan Chase and Robin Goodfellow. Good luck in your decisions ahead"

Meaghan seemed to realise that Eira was dressed in hunting gear "You're leaving court?"

Eira's eyes involuntarily flickered towards Puck who was oddly silent during the exchange "Hunting. I'll be back in a few months or years. Until then, I bid you goodbye"

Without waiting for reply, Eira spun on her heel, waving her hand across the pillars of ice as she walked. She didn't watch as Snowberry and her friends slowly melted out of their trappings, or the venomous glares that were directed towards her. She didn't see the confusion on Meaghan Chase's face or the concern on Puck's.

Quickly walking away from the courtyard and towards the fringes of the tress, Eira knew she shouldn't be affected by what had transpired. She already knew Puck was in love with the Chase girl. She shouldn't be surprised that he had completely moved on. But even as she began her slow trek deep into the frozen forests, a small but petty part of her kept repeating the same thing.

_He had called her Princess too._


End file.
